Matteo's Dream
Matteo's Dream is an all-abilities playground in an urban park in Concord, California. It opened on May 16, 2007. Matteo Henderson was a boy with serious disabilities including blindness, cerebral palsy, and cognitive development. He used a wheelchair for transportation. The playground was built with US$770,000 of donated materials and with the labor of 1600 volunteers. Matteo, and many other children of all abilities have enjoyed the playground. Persons with disabilities are able to drive their wheelchairs directly onto the structure. Features of the playground are specially engineered to accommodate people with various disabilities.[1] Matteo died on March 16, 2011 at the age of 11.[2] In January 2014, a Matteo's Dream themed Rose Parade float was featured in the 125th Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.[3]
| Matteo's Dream | |
|---|---|
  Location  Matteo's Dream (the United States) | |
| Location | Concord, California, Hillcrest Park |
| Coordinates | 37°59′50″N 122°2′43″W |
| Area | 16,000 square feet (1,486 m2) |
| Created | 2007 |
| Designer | Leather & Associates |
| Owned by | City of Concord |
| Status | Open all year |
| Budget | US$700,000+donated labor |
| Parking | Free |
| Public transit access | County Connection |
| Website | Official website  |
See also
References
- Jones, Carolyn (April 28, 2007). "A playground for all to play on / Matteo's Dream is a place for the disabled to slide down slides, wheel to a tree house". SFGate. Archived from the original on March 16, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
- Thissen, Paul (May 23, 2011). "After Matteo's passing, his dream lives on in Concord". East Bay Times. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
- DeBolt, David (April 8, 2013). "'Matteo's Dream' lives on in Tournament of Roses Parade". The Mercury News. Archived from the original on May 11, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2017.